CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuela's political and economic troubles are increasing under the leadership of President Hugo Chavez, the U.S. choice to head the World Bank says.

Robert Zoellick said during a weekend visit to Mexico City, that Venezuela is "a country where economic problems are mounting and we seeing [that] on the political and press side it's not moving in a healthy direction," The Miami Herald reported Monday.

Zoellick's remarks come in the wake of Chavez' recent decision to ban the country's leading TV network from Venezuelan airwaves.